


My Sadness Halved, My Happiness Doubled

by afteriwake



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Bakery and Coffee Shop, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-23
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2018-04-23 00:32:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4856396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock Holmes is brought back to London to be a part of the family business, something he would rather not do but feels is part of his duty to the Holmes name. A chance encounter with a man while he gets his morning coffee, however, and the suggestion he go to Serenity Coffee & Tea Shoppe puts him on a new course in life, filled with friends and love that he didn’t expect that, perhaps, is better than what he ever could have hoped for himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [elliedilly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elliedilly/gifts).



> So a while ago, my friend **elliedilly** asked me for [headcanons on a coffee shop AU](http://penaltywaltz.tumblr.com/post/123995687493/sherlolly-coffee-shop-au-have-fun), and one thing lead to another and it was highly suggested by quite a few people that I write it. So, I am happy to say that this, my 450th Sherlock-centric fic, is the coffee shop AU. I'm not sure what ships are going to be endgame as I start this other than Sherlolly and Warstan, but we'll see what happens as I write. Credit for the title goes to the translator of the song lyrics to "Thank You!!" by Home Made Kazoku that I found on [this website](http://www.kiwi-musume.com/lyrics/homemadekazoku/rocktheworld/thankyou.html). I'm not sure if it's the correct translation, as I've seen it differently on other websites, but I liked the sound of it there.
> 
>  **EDIT** So the day after I posted chapter 1 I got a wonderful present from **sherlolly29** on Tumblr: some gorgeous fanart from the first chapter! The thumbnail is posted below but click on the picture to go to the Tumblr page to view the full size version and leave a like or reblog and sherlolly29 them know how awesome it is, okay?
> 
>  
> 
> [ ](http://sherlolly29.tumblr.com/post/129719325250/coffee-for-penaltywaltzs-fic-i-really)  
> 

Sherlock Holmes was going to be late. Not that it made much difference if he was late, as he wasn’t on a schedule of any sort. That’s what happened when it was your family’s business that you worked for. But as he spied the queue outside the Starbucks he realized he was going to be at least a half hour late, if not more. He made his way to the end of the queue and leaned towards the woman in front of him slightly. “Why are there so many people?” he asked.

“They’ve released three new frappuccino flavors today and they’re having a sale on pounds of coffee for a celebration,” she said. “The first hundred and fifty customers get a free venti coffee if they buy a pound of coffee. I think I’m customer one hundred and forty-six.”

“And how many are still ahead of you?” he asked, glancing back at the queue.

She chuckled, giving him the once over, her eyes lingering on his hand and seeing he didn’t have a wedding band on. “Probably fifty or so. You could always keep me company, if you’d like.”

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He got that more often than he liked, to be honest. “I really should try and get coffee elsewhere, as I’ll be late to work otherwise,” he said, lifting up his wrist to look at his watch.

“Mate, if you just want a simple cup of coffee and a quick bite, I’d recommend Molly’s place,” the man in front of the woman trying to chat him up said. “With all the hubbub going on here I expect it’d be nearly empty right now, and she’s got better food if you want breakfast.”

“Molly’s place?” Sherlock asked, a frown on his face.

“Serenity Coffee & Tea Shoppe,” the man said. “It’s three blocks away, down that way.” He pointed to their left. “I’d recommend the almond croissants and the dark Viennese roast.”

Sherlock nodded. “Thanks…?” he said, ending it as a question.

“Stamford,” he said. “Mike Stamford.” He paused. “Do me a favor and if Mary’s there tell her I’ll have her pound of coffee to give to her roommate this evening?”

“If I remember,” Sherlock said with a frown, turning around and leaving the queue. There had been about fifteen new people who had gotten in line behind him, and the woman who’d been chatting him up gave him a slight glare before setting her sights on the man right behind him. He started to make his way to the left, looking at the various buildings to see where Serenity Coffee & Tea Shoppe was.

He was new to this area, having come back to London after a long time away. He’d wanted to put as much distance between himself and his family as he could, but with his father stepping down and his brother taking over the company he was needed by them. He had preferred a more scholarly life, trying to work on getting as many degrees as he could, to learn as much as he could. He had two main passions in life, learning and music, but for family he could put them aside, he supposed. It was duty after all. And that meant leaving his residence in Oxford and returning to London, a city he’d never been particularly fond of.

It didn’t take him long to locate the storefront. He glanced inside and saw it looked cozy enough and, most importantly, it looked rather empty. He went to the door and opened it stepping inside. It was a large room with many comfortable looking chairs and a few comfy sofas, with tables and chairs interspersed throughout as well. There was what looked like two top of the line espresso machines behind a bar that had a glass section dedicated to pastries. When he glanced at the far wall there was a wide bookshelf there filled with books and a hand painted sign that said “Feel Free To Borrow A Book, Just Leave One In Return!” There was also art all over the walls that he had to admit looked quite appealing.

“Hello!” a woman called out from behind the bar in a cheerful voice. “What can I get for you?”

“Just a dark roast coffee. The largest you have. Black, with two sugars,” he said, coming up to the bar. “And…your almond croissants were recommended, so I’ll take one of those, too.”

“Well, they aren’t mine,” she said with a chuckle. “I mean, they’re my coffee shop’s, but they were made by Greg.” She went to go get a cup. “They’re quite excellent, though.”

“I suppose I’ll find out soon enough,” he said. “How much is it going to be?”

“Four pounds,” she said.

He gave her a surprised look. “That’s a bit low.”

“Well, it’s two for the coffee and two for the croissant,” she said with a smile. “I like to try and keep my prices as low as I can, and I just swallow up the taxes.”

“Is that good business sense?” he asked, pulling out his billfold and pulling out the money, handing it to her. She went to the register and put the money in, then gave him his change. He hesitated a moment, then put it in the tip jar, along with a little extra.

She smiled and nodded to the jar. “Low prices actually encourages good tips, I’ve found, and I just dump mine back into the business.” Then she picked up his cup and went to go get him his coffee. “Do you want your croissant warmed?”

He shook his head. “I’m in a bit of a rush,” he said.

“Oh, all right,” she said with a nod. She finished getting his coffee set up and then put the lid on it and gave it to him before getting him his croissant. She slipped it into a small paper bag and then handed it to him. “Well, I hope you enjoy it.”

He nodded and lifted it up. “Thank you, Molly.”

She blinked. “How did you know my name?”

“The person who recommended this place said it was yours,” he said.

“Ah,” she said with a nod. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you…?”

“Sherlock,” he said. “Sherlock Holmes.”

She gave him a wide smile. “I like that name,” she said. “Well, I hope to see you around again, Sherlock.”

“Perhaps,” he said, giving her one last nod before leaving. He went to the door and then opened it. Once he was outside he took a sip of his coffee. It was actually quite good. Better than the stuff he got at Starbucks, to be honest. If the croissant measured up as well he would have a definite reason to return to this particular coffee shop. Not that he didn’t potentially have one already, he thought as he turned around and glanced at Molly through the door. It might be interesting to get to know the owner of the coffee shop a little better, if he got the chance.


	2. Chapter 2

“New coffee shop?”

Sherlock looked at his assistant and raised an eyebrow as he finished off the coffee. He hadn’t thought it would be noticed if he walked in with a cup that wasn’t from Starbucks, but John Watson had a very keen eye. That’s why they got on so well, or at least one of the reasons. John had been a friend in Oxford, one who had been an administrative assistant at one of the universities, and when Sherlock was summoned back to London John came with him, as the money for being his PA was astoundingly more than being a professor, and it wasn’t that much different than what he had done in Oxford. Sherlock had been glad John had thrown his lot in with him because frankly, he was one of the few bright spots in the whole situation.

He pulled his attention to the cup and saw the logo for the shop on it before nodding. “Better than Starbucks,” he said.

“Really?” John asked, his eyes wide. “Considering you have a VIP card for them, that’s saying something.”

“Well, I appreciate good coffee,” Sherlock said with a shrug.

“Because Lord knows you can’t brew it yourself,” John said with a chuckle. “Should I start picking up your coffee from there, then?”

Sherlock nodded. “I think that might be best. And...on occasion, almond croissant. Or any other pastries that catch your fancy.” He set his cup on his desk and pulled off his messenger bag from across his body. He couldn’t bring himself to use a briefcase, much as it was expected of him. Some scholarly habits died too hard. But he had at least upgraded to a black leather one that was good quality. His father nor his brother would approve, but they had to take what they could get for now. “What’s on the agenda for today?”

John pulled out his tablet that he used for business purposes. Sherlock had to admit that was better than an endless amount of papers, and it made it easier to share information between John’s tablet and his mobile, which is what he preferred to use for business when he wasn’t on his laptop. “Your father wants you to speak with the advertising department to motivate them more,” he said. “I think he had said something about putting that English degree you got a few years back to use. Then you’re to have a business lunch with your brother at noon at The Wolseley, and then there’s a board meeting about the transfer of power at three. But you can call it a day early after the meeting.”

“You should know I never call it a day early,” Sherlock said with a slight grin. This was a regular conversation between the two of them, one that had been going on for years now. “There’s always something to learn, to study.”

John gave him a rather wistful look. “It’s been a month, and you still miss Oxford, don’t you?” he said.

Sherlock sat in his chair and steepled his fingers together under his chin. “Auditions for the local orchestra are starting today. This is the first time in years I won’t play violin in it.”

John nodded. “We could find something for you here in London? I can look.”

“No point,” Sherlock said with a sigh. “My father and my brother keep me too busy to have the time. I’m expected to wine and dine clients and investors because I’m supposedly more ‘charming’ than Mycroft. It seems as though my father’s personality got split between us; Mycroft got his business acumen and I got...other things.”

“Honestly anyone who thinks you’re charming doesn’t know you well,” John said with a chuckle. “But you’re a good actor and good enough at faking it.”

His mind very briefly drifted to the woman who ran the coffee shop. He could be charming for _her_ , he thought. He wasn’t sure why there was a desire to impress her or see her again because their interaction had been brief. Perhaps it was because she hadn’t sized him up like a slab of beef like most women did. Or, perhaps, he was mesmerized by her smile. It had been a long time since he had had a smile like that given to him. “I suppose,” he murmured.

“Well, you don’t have any wining and dining tonight, so I expect you’ll be at the flat playing mournful violin till late?” John asked.

“My choices in music aren’t mournful,” Sherlock said, giving his friend a mild glare.

“But I bet they will be tonight,” John said. “Do you need more coffee now, or after the meeting with advertising?”

“After,” he said. “And...I’ll get it myself.”

John raised an eyebrow but said nothing, simply giving Sherlock a nod and then heading to his own office. Hopefully, he would have time to get to the coffee shop for the coffee. Not that John’s was _bad_ , but it seemed like there was more than just coffee and a caffeine rush on his mind now.


End file.
